Performance evaluations for business operations are an important aspect of quality service for any business that provides a consumer type service. These evaluations can be performed in-store for retail operations as well as on-site for other types of service businesses, hospitals, banking, personnel services automotive repair, restaurants etc. Alternatively, the evaluations can be based on telephone interviews. Whether on-site or by telephone, the evaluations performed according to the method and system of this invention provide an essentially objective picture of how a business, its facilities and employees are viewed by customers. Such evaluations enable management of the business operation to identify and correct problems before customers are lost. Further, performance evaluations apprise management as to how their particular business operation compares to others in the marketplace.
One example of a performance evaluation method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,069 to Flores et al. ('069 reference). The '069 reference discloses a method and system which provides business consultants and analysts with a unified tool with which to conduct business process analysis, design and documentation. The invention is directed to a method of analyzing workflow to support the analysis and mapping of existing business processes and designing new business processes. A fundamental concept of workflow analysis is that any business process can be interpreted as a sequence of basic transactions called workflows. Each workflow has a customer, a performer, and conditions of satisfaction.
Although not a performance evaluation method, U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,662 to Deaton et al. ('662 reference) discloses a method directed to improving performance. The '662 reference teaches a method and system to facilitate check transactions. The method reduces the requirements for customer identification and enables a store to adopt a risk management approach to check verification based on a customer's transactional history. The method seeks to improve a store's marketing and customer relations programs.
A market research system and method for collecting retail store and shopper market research data are disclosed in Lu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,544 ('544 reference.) In the '544 reference, retail sales transactions are monitored at point-of-sale and video images of retail customers are captured for identifying customers and storing data related to sales transactions.
None of the references teach or suggest a method for objectively measuring and rating operations and employee performance of business operations. There is a need for a new and improved performance evaluation method and system for use by business operations. A need also exists for an objective performance evaluation method and system for use by management of a business operation to improve customer relations. Further, there is a need for an objective performance evaluation for use by management of business operation to compare to other stores in the marketplace.